


Coming Together

by neighborhoodwitch



Series: Becoming The Future [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Best Friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:41:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24873241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neighborhoodwitch/pseuds/neighborhoodwitch
Summary: Sokka, Suki, and Zuko realize they won’t be as alone as they thought
Relationships: Sokka & Suki (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Suki & Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Becoming The Future [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1799767
Comments: 2
Kudos: 58





	Coming Together

**Author's Note:**

> hello yes i am starting a little series of one shots set in the universe and am always open to any ideas anyone has to add to my list

His heart was racing as he crossed the courtyard. There were people lounging in the late summer sun, unaware of how panicked Sokka really was. He saw a few other people in the same position as him, worried they were going to be late and getting close to it coming true. The lights were dimmed right as he slipped inside the hall and he was quickly sent to an open seat by teachers. What a great first impression.

He was on the end of the row seated next to a pretty girl with short brown hair and elaborate makeup on. She gave him a smile as he sat down and he smiled back. He was already fighting to stay focused on what the dean was saying. Something about welcoming the new students and how she hopes they will find a home here. 

The pretty girl leaned over to him and whispered, “Hey, I’m Suki.” She was smiling at him as their shoulders brushed.

“Sokka.” He responded. “Do you know what she's talking about? I feel like I’ve heard it all before.”

She chuckled quietly and that made Sokka smile more. He was pretty sure he just made his first friend. “I think we all have.” She put on a bad impression of the dean. “I hope you all find family and friends here. This place will be your home for the coming years.” He snorted and covered his mouth with his hand. 

“Wow you sound just like her. I can almost picture you upon the stage welcoming me to my future.” She elbowed him and he hesitated before elbowing back. This is Omashu. He could be himself here. He didn’t have to worry about his grandmother, or his sister Katara, or the rest of their small town breathing down his neck.

“So,” She said, diverting the conversation. “You from around Omashu?”

He chuckled and shook his head. “Not even close. Small town far down south. How about you?”

She shook her head as well. “Kyoshi Island. Technically it's still part of the Earth Kingdom, but it's totally separate. I’ve never really left home before.”

“Me either, I never had a reason to.” She nodded in agreement. “I think there's more people in this room than in my whole town.”

She looked around warily, green eyes flashing under the red eyeshadow. “I know right. I was so worried I would get here and have no friends.” It took Sokka a moment to realize she was talking about him. They were friends. “So where's your dorm?” She asked after a long silence of them both tuning into the speeches, they were talking about the dining hall.

“Um whatever the hell ‘Bumi’ is.” Seriously, who named a building that. How much money did this guy donate to get them to do that.

“Hey me too. I'm on the third floor,” She shuffled through the pile of papers in her lap. “Room 33.”

He found his own dorm information and smiled wider. “I’m room 29.” She looked up with so much excitement she almost bounced out of her chair.

“Really!” She whisper shouted. “That's so great! We will be so close to each other.”

He nodded quickly. “We should meet up before dinner.” He said as the lights came on and they were instructed to find their dorms and settle in. “I haven’t met my roommate yet so this will be exciting.”

“You haven't? I have and all I will say is that I will be requesting a random roommate next year.” He snorted. “I’ll come by your dorm before we go. Give you some time to meet your new best friend.”

He swung an arm around her shoulders as they started walking towards Bumi. “Come on, Suki, I think I just met my new best friend.” She shoved him playfully and they both laughed as they stepped out into the setting sun.

Before meeting Suki Sokka had been so scared. That he wouldn’t be good enough. That he would be alone. That he would have to return home a failure. Where he would have to face his dad and admit he was wrong. Now he had a friend, an amazing person who would make sure he's not alone. And now he got to do the same for her, and that meant everything to him.

\---

He looked at the rusted 29 hanging on the door and pushed it open, it wasn't locked, which was good since he really didn’t want to dig through his bag to find the key. He had driven all his stuff up here by himself. Then dragged it to the dorm and claimed a bed. All his stuff sat in boxes in the middle of the floor cause there was nobody to help him unpack, it was why he was late for orientation in the first place. Katara had wanted to come, but she just couldn't get away from work and swim and sports. He would need his car anyways, no matter how old the used SUV was. He sighed and went back out to the very small, very sad kitchen they handled. It really just consisted of an old fridge, microwave, and sink. The oven probably didn’t even work looking at the state of it.

He heard the whisper of TV behind him and turned around. Behind him his new roommate was on the couch flicking through channels. Sokka felt his face light up as he took in the shaggy blach hair and muscled arms. “Hello!” He announced probably too loud because the boy flinched. He quitted his voice as he dropped down on the other side of the couch. “Hi, I’m Sokka.”

The other boy turned to him warily and Sokka had to fight from reacting to his face. That sounded mean. What he meant was the left side of the boy's face was completely scarred, like he had burned. It covered his eye so that it was forced partially shut and stretched back to his ear. That's probably why he hadn’t reacted to Sokka coming in. Sokka had seen nasty scars in his life, most of the men from their town ended up in the military, but he couldn’ imagine how someone his age would end up with a scar like that. He was careful to show no reaction to it, let the boy draw attention to it himself.

He looked down and Sokka stuck out like it was alien to him. “Hello… um, Zuko. I’m Zuko.” So the guy was horrible at social interaction, that wasn’t enough to wipe the bright smile from his face, even as it took Zuko almost a minute to remember to shake his hand.

“Well nice to meet you, Zuko. I’m sorry I didn’t catch you earlier, I was running really late getting here. Traffic was horrible, so many annoying parents and their kids.” Zuko blinked at him, now it was getting a little awkward for Sokka now.

“You drove here? Alone?” He nodded slowly. “Oh, I hope it wasn’t a long drive. That would be lonely.” That was sweet, no matter how stilted the conversation was now Sokka decided he would be adopting Zuko. Katara would love him.

“It was. It’s a really long drive, but I didn’t really have another choice. Couldn’t exactly drive my little sister up with no way for her to get home.” he watched as Zuko’s face tightened a little when he mentioned his sister. “So who did you drive up with. I was talking to Suki and she was saying that she drove up with some of her friends who aren’t going here. That seems fun. I always wanted to go on a road trip.”

“My uncle drove me. He was the only one willing to do it.” Sounded like something Sokka could relate to. Absent parents.

Before they could get too far into trauma bonding, Sokka decided to change the subject. “Do you have plans for dinner?” The shock on Zuko’s face was enough to tell Sokka he wasn’t used to friendship like this. That was going to change.

“I was just going to order some food here.” What?! It was the first day and he wasn’t even going to attempt to meet people. What if Sokka hadn't come back? Would he have spent all night alone?

He shook his head and spoke sagely. “Thats a dumb plan. You’re coming with us.” Right as he said it their door was opened by a frustrated looking Suki. She made a beeline and perched on the arm of the couch like they had been friends for years. He loved her. “Ah perfect. Suki, meet Zuko.” She gave him a small smile. “Zuko, meet Suki.” He nodded. 

“Sokka I’ve made a huge mistake.” She said without preamble which caught both of the boys attention. “Coming here was a mistake cause now I have to spend the whole fucking year with this girl.”

Zuko was actually the one who spoke up. “Your roommate?” She nodded and groaned. “Don’t you have to like, assert your dominance over her or something?” When they both gave him confused looks he squirmed and shrugged. “That's what my sister used to do.”

“You know Zuko, you might just be right. I need to come up with a plan. Are you coming to dinner with us?” She also gapped when he shook his head.

He turned his head to her. “I know right. He wants to stay here and order food alone.”

Suki put her hand on Sokka’s shoulder and leaned forward. “That's ridiculous. Why would you do that?”

He shrugged again. “I don’t know anyone here.”

“You know us now!” Sokka burst out, already a little offended that Zuko wasn’t considering them instant best friends. Some people are just a little harder to crack. 

“He’s right.” Suki added. “Come hang out with us, staying up here will be lonely. Or you could just tell us you hate us now and we will leave.

He could see the conflict written across Zuko’s face, that meant that they had worn him down. “Well I hope you don’t hate me, that would make the next year pretty awkward.”

Zuko groaned. “Fine. I’ll come.” Sokka and Suki both cheered and it was enough to draw a small smile from Zuko. “Let’s just hope the food isn’t completely terrible.” 

Without another word Sokka was on his feet pulling them both up from the couch. “Come on, I’m starving.”

As he walked down the hall with one arm around Suki’s shoulder, Zuko shrugged him off, he thought about how only a couple hours ago he had been terrified and how much his life could change in a matter of minutes. A part of him missed home, he missed Katara, but he didn’t think he was able to go back after this. Not now, not ever.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading, if anyone wants to leave a comment i would be forever grateful and subscribe to the series for more


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